August War
The August War was an internal conflict within the Galactic Empire that resulted in a split between those loyal to Kaiser August II, who was widely viewed as a tyrant for his atrocities against nobles and commoners alike, and those who sought end his rule. Background Having taken the throne in , Kaiser August II proved himself to be a brutal and genocidal ruler who began losing mental stability in the first years of his reign. Large purges occurred under his orders, initially beginning with possible rivals at court, then going on through government officials with whom he disagreed with (including his cabinet ministers), and spreading out from there to all parts of society. August II also devised new and brutal ways of murdering people, taking pleasure in personally witnessing and carrying out executions. Many people, among both the high aristocrats and the commoners, believed that he needed to be stopped, but a small faction that benefited from having the Kaiser's trust did its best to keep him in power. It was believed that the number of deaths caused by his regime reached the millions. Among the dissidents was Marquis Erich von Rinderhof of the planet Ingolstadt, a prominent member of the Imperial court. On 15 February , he left the capital Odin and headed for his family's territory. August had killed most of his family members as potential rivals and noticed Marquis Rinderhof's absence in May of that year. On May 24, Prime Minister Julius von Alvensleben issued an order for Rinderhof to return to Odin immediately. It was ignored, and was was an imperial decree from the Kaiser on May 30. In response, Rinderhof made a declaration on June 2, stating that he was rising in revolt against the tyrant and that he was waging a "national protection war to restore the prosperity and glory of the Empire." The marquis also urged all Imperial military personnel to join him in the uprising. On Ingolstadt, his private military forces seized control of all government institutions, including the local Department of Social Discipline office. The local Imperial military garrison did not put up any resistance, with Vice Admiral Paul von Grippenberg, the garrison commander, surrendering and joining Rinderhof's revolt. He was promoted to full admiral by the marquis. On June 17, an expeditionary force of about 15,000 ships departed from Odin, by orders of the Kaiser and his premier, under the command of three talented up-and-coming officers: Admiral Ludwig von Mackensen, Vice Admiral Werner Bärenfänger, and Vice Admiral Rudolf von Gerloch. However, the three of them actually despised August and took the opportunity to join Rinderhof's rebellion. Their presence contributed to the legitimacy of the uprising in the eyes of the military, and their fleet became the backbone of what came to be called the "Grand Coalition." Kaiser August was furious, and ordered three military chiefs to prepare for a campaign against the mutineers. A mobilization of forces from throughout the Empire began in preparation for the war. However, during that time, many Imperial units instead responded to Rinderhof's call to join the rebellion, going to Ingolstadt instead of Odin. As a result, the military force of the Grand Coalition swelled to the size of 47,600 ships and 8.3 million men by late July. Meanwhile, the Imperial Fleet numbered 84,300 ships and 13.7 million men. Since many of the regular servicemen joined the revolt, a large number of the Imperial personnel were recently-drafted conscripts and private forces of the aristocrats that remained loyal to the Kaiser. The fleet departed the capital for Ingolstadt on August 4. The war Aftermath Category:Wars